During September the nation’s leading first aid charity St John Ambulance holds its annual "Save a Life September" campaign, when they organise free demonstrations in vital first aid skills in popular public places such as shopping centres and stores like Matalan, throughout September.

Volunteers are holding a series of free events across the North East, demonstrating simple techniques that could help people and be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

St John Ambulance trains thousands of people in life-saving skills each year and also provides first aid cover at public events, such as the Sunderland Air Show, through its fantastic army of volunteers.

Sharon was also able to meet with Mr Keith Richards (pictured above), a van driver from Stanley, whose life was saved by John and Ryan just days after St John Ambulance had opened their new training facility in Gateshead. Mr Richards had come along to the demonstration event in Washington to give his thanks to the lads and to St John Ambulance.

As a charity, the Save a Life September campaign gives a massive boost to this valuable work each year. This year's campaign features comedian Rufus Hound as a school teacher. To watch the video, click on this following link:

A comical new video starring Rufus Hound. The comedian and actor plays a hapless teacher, whose lack of first aid skills leads to disastrous consequences for his pupils and demonstrates why everyone should learn a lesson for life.

Now in its fifth year, Save a Life September teaches thousands of people life-saving skills for free, through:

• Hundreds of first aid demonstrations at shopping centres, train stations, stadiums, town centres and more• Distributing 100,000 free first aid guides so everyone can remember the key five ways to save a life • A suite of online first aid videos

"We believe that everyone should have first aid knowledge – and the more people that take part in Save a Life September, the higher the chance that someone will be on hand to help when it’s needed most."

For more information on St John Ambulance’s work, including how to become a volunteer and details of training for the public, schools and businesses, visit www.sja.org.uk or call 08700 10 49 50.

ENDS

Some notes from St John Ambulance:

"St John Ambulance is the nation’s leading first aid charity. Every year, more than 800,000 people learn how to save a life through training programmes, including hundreds of thousands of young people. Our Volunteers provide first aid in their communities, keeping people safe at events, and working alongside the NHS in response to 999 calls.

We’re also always campaigning to raise awareness of first aid and directly educate the public.

First aid is such a simple skill, but it has an incredible impact.

We want everyone to learn it, so that they can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

Key facts about Save a Life September• Save a Life September is St John Ambulance’s annual awareness month, designed to encourage more people to learn vital first aid• Now in its fifth year we will be giving demonstrations in around 200 locations, such as shopping centres, schools, markets and other community spaces, and giving out free first aid guides to over 100,000 people• Demonstrations will take place all over the country – visit our website to find one near you• We’ll be demonstrating five easy-to-follow techniques (choking, severe bleeding, recovery position, heart attack and CPR) at selected locations and distributing pocket-sized first aid guides, providing people with first aid knowledge at their fingertips• We are offering free demonstrations to community groups as well – contact us to find out more • Since Save a Life September launched in 2010, we’ve given 400,000 people pocket first aid guides."